Telepherage system



W. E. HARRISON.

TELPHERAGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATHJN FILED JAN-3.1920

1,41 6,02 1 Patented M y 16, 1922.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 'ATTORNEY WILLIAM E. HARRISON, INGHOUSE ELECTRIC SYLVANIA.

OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WEST- & MANUFAC'IURING GOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENIN- TELPHERAGE SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1922.

Application filed January 3, 1920. Serial No. 349,240.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM E. HARRISON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Telpherage Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to conveyor systems and particularly to systems employing a container for transporting materials.

The object of my invention is to provide an automatically operated conveyor system which shall depend for its operation upon the volume of material supplied to the conveyor.

Automatically operated conveyor systems have, heretofore, been provided which operate in accordance with the weight of material supplied to the carrier. In systems of this general type, materials of greater densities but partially fill the carrier and, unless special provision is made for adjusting the controlling means for every density of material that is transported by the carrier, the system will operate with partially filled carriers at only a portion of the actual capacity of the system.

The present invention provides automatic means for loading the carrier to a desired level regardless of the density of the transported material, which insures the working of the system at maximum capacity.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing is a view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a conveyor system constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a control system adapted to regulate the operation of the system illustrated in Fig. 1.

The system shown in Fig. 1 comprises a carrier 1 that is supplied with material to be transported from a hopper 2 and is actuated along guide rails 3 by means of a cable 4. The carrier 1 is provided with guide rollers 5, which co-operate with the rails 3 to control the direction of travel of the carrier, and cable-connecting bars 6 which are pivotally mounted concentric with the lower roller 5 and are connected to the actuating cable 4. A plurality of bumper springs 7 are mounted on a base 8 and provide seating means for the carrier 1.

The carrier 1 is provided with a switch mechanism 9, the contact members of which are electrically connected to contact blocks 10 which are mounted on, and insulated from, the carrier- 1. Contact fingers 11, 12 and 13, which are mounted on the base 8 and insulated electrically therefrom, are adapted to severally engage the contact blocks 10 when the carrier occupies the position shown in the drawing, to establish electrical connection from the switch 9 on the carrier 1 to control circuits 14 and 15 which respectively govern the operation of a hoisting motor 16 and of a motor 17 which regulates the supply of material to the carrier 1.

Operating connections from a supply circuit 18 to the hoisting motor 16 are established by a control unit 19 which is governed by control circuit 14. A control unit 20 establishes operating connections from the supply circuit 18 to the motor 17 when control circuit 15 is energized.

The switch 9 is actuated by means of a member 21 that is pivotally mounted on. the carrier 1. The member 21 is biased to the position shown in the drawing by means of a coil spring 22 that is concentric with its ivotal support. The member 21 is provided with a bellows 23 that precludes the admission of such materials as may be placed in the carrier 1, to the compartment for switch 9.

The hopper 2 is provided with a chute 24 which directs materials from the hopper into carrier 1. The chute 24 has a pivotal support that is concentric with the actuating motor 17 and is provided with a counter weight 25 which actuates the chute to arrest the flow of material from the hopper 2 when the motor 17 is deenergized. The chute permits the flow of material from the hopper 2 to the conveyor when it occupies the position shown in solid lines in the drawing and arrests the supply of materials to the ho per when moved from engagement with t 0 carrier 1, as indicated by dotted lines in the drawing.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2 of the drawing, which illustrates the controlling circuits for governing the operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the hoisting motor 16 has a field-magnet winding 27 and is controlled by means of an electromagnetic switch having a pair of contactors 28 and an interlock 29. The electromagnetic switch constitutes a. portion of the control unit 19. The contactors 28 are controlled by means of an electromagnet coil 30 which is energized from the circuit established by contactor fingers 11 and 12 and the switching device 9. The interlock 29 provides a holding circuit for energizing coil 30 when contactors 28 are closed. A contact device 31 is inserted in the holding circuit of the coil 30 in order that the operation of the motor 16 may be arrested when the carrier 1 reaches a predetermined position in its travel.

The motor 17. which is adapted to control the, position of the chute 24 and the supply of material from the hopper 2 to carrier 1. is provided with a field-magnet winding 32 and a starting resistor 33. The motor 17 is connected to the supply circuit 18 by means of the control unit which comprises an electromagnetic contactor 34 having an actuating coil 35 that is energized through contactor fingers 11 and 13 and contactor 9.

If it is assumed that the empty carrier 1 is returned to the position shown in the drawing, contactor fingers 11. 12 and 13 respectively engage contact blocks 10 and establish an energizing circuit from the positive side of the supply circuit 18 through contact finger 11, contactor 9, contact finger 13, and coil 35 to the negative side of the supply circuit. Contactor 34 is closed by the ,energization of coil 35 and an operating circuit is established for motor 17. The motor 17 then actuates the hopper 9 from its dotted-line position to the position in which it is illustrated, against the force exerted by the weight 25. The hopper 9 is maintained in the position shown in solid lines in the drawing so long as the motor 17 is energized and it thereby maintains a flow of material from hopper 2 to the carrier 1. The movable member 21 of the carrier 1 is so positioned that it is depressed when the carrier 1 is filled to a desired level by the material supplied to the carrier.

When the material supplied to the carrier fills the carrier to a sufiicient height to actuate the member 21 to the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, the energizing circuit for coil 35 is interrupted by t e contactor 9 and a circuit is established from the positive side of the supply circuit through contact finger 11, contactor 9. contact finger 12 and coil 30 to the negative side of the supply circuit 18. The interruption of the operating circuit for motor 17 permits the counterbalancing weight 25 to actuate the chute 24 to a closed position and thereby to arrest the supply of material to the carrier 1.

Contactors 28 are closed upon the energizationof actuating coil 30, to establish an operating circuit for motor 16. The closure of contactors 28 and the associated interlock 29 establishes a holding circuit for coil 30 which includes the switching device 31. The motor 16 operates to actuate the carrier 1 along the guide rails 3. The actuation of switching device 31. either manually or automatically, as is desired. interrupts the control circuit for coil 30 and arrests the movement of the carrier 1 by interrupting the main motor supply circuit at contactor 28. The load in the carrier is discharged in the usual manner and the carrier is returned to the position shown in the drawing.

The term conveyor system as herein applied is intended to include telpherage systems, skip hoists, elevators and other systems for transporting materials to which applicants invention may be applied. In the operation of such apparatus. it is particularly desirable to provide means for regulating the material supplied to the carrier in such manner that the carrier is loaded to its maximum capacity for each trip. Applicants system is particularly serviceable where materials of varying densities are to be transported.

Although I have described a simple and preferred form of my invention it is not necessarily so limited and I desire therefore that only such limitations shall be imposed as are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A conveyor system comprising a carrier adapted to transport material, a motor, for directly actuating said carrier, a device adapted to supply material to said carrier, and means responsive to the volume of material supplied to said carrier for controlling the operation of said motor.

2. A conveyor system comprising a carrier adapted to transport material, a motor for directly actuating said carrier. a device adapted to supply material to said carrier. a motor for operating said device. and means responsive to the volume of material supplied to said carrier for controlling the operation of said carrier and for arresting the supply, the operation of the first-named motor and for governing the second-named motor to arrest the supply.

3. A conveyor system comprising a carrier adapted to transport material, a device adapted to supply material to said carrier, a motor for operating said device. and means responsive to the volume of material supplied to said carrier for governing said motor to arrest the supply of material to said carrier.

4. A conveyor system comprising a carrier adapted to transport material. a motor for directly actuating said carrier, a device adapted to supply material to said carrier, a motor for operating said device, and means responsive to the volume of material supplied to said carrier for jointly controlling the operation of said carrier motor and of the other motor to restrict the volume of material supplied to the carrier.

5. A conveyor system comprising a carrier adapted to transport material, a motor for material in said carrier directly actuating said carrier, a device adapted to supply material to said carrier, a motor for operatin said device, and automatic means adapte to govern the device motor to supply a predetermined volume of material to said carrier and to control the carrier motor to actuate said carrier when such predetermined volume of material has been supplied thereto.

'6. A conveyor system comprising a carrier, a device adaptedto supply material to said carrier, a motor fordirectly actuating said carrier, means including a motor re sponsive 'to the position of said carrier for automatically governing the last-named motor to establish a supply of material to said carrier and means controlling the last-named motor to arrest the supply of material to said carrier when a predetermined volume has been supplied thereto and for controlling the first named motor to actuate said carrier.

7; A conveyor system comprising a car-- rier, a device adapted to su ply material to said carrier, a motor for directly actuating said carrier, means including a motor responsive to the position of said carrier for automatically governing the last-named motor to supply a predetermined volume of material to said carrier and for controlling the carrier motor to actuate said carrier after said predetermined volume of material has been supplied thereto;

In a conveyor system, the combination witlh a carrier adapted to transport mate ria s, carrier, a device for establishing and arresting the supply .of material to said carrier and a otor for'operatin said device, oi switching. means amocia with said carrier and actuated by a predetermined volume of material in said carrier for controlling the movement of said carrier motor and the operation of said device motor.

o 9. In a, conveyor system, the combination with a carrier adapted to transport materials, a motor for directly actuating said carrier, a device for establishing and arresting the supply of material to said carrier and a motor for operating said device, 0 switching means controlled by the volume of for controlling said device motor to successively establish a supply of material to said carrier and to arrest the supply of material to said carrier and for governing the carrier motor to control the movement of said carrier.

10. In a conveyor system, the combination with a carrier adapted to transport materials, a motor for directly actuatin said carrier, a device for establishing and arresting the supply of material to said carrier, and a motor for operating said device, of switching means responsive to the position of said carrier and to the volume of material contained in'said carrier for controlling said a motor for directly actuating said 3 in said carrier for controlling the operation of said device motor.

12. In a control system, the combination with a carrier adapted to transport materials, a motor for directly actuating said carrier, a device for establishi and arresting the supply of material to sai carrier, and a motor or operating said device, of switching means responsive to the position of said carrier for controlling the device motor to establish a supply of material from said deviceto said carrier, and switching means re sponsive to the volume of material in said carrier for governing the device motor to arrest the supply of material to said carrier and for controlling the carrier motor to effect movement of said carrier.

13. In a conve or system,"the combination with a travel ing container and a motor having a direct mechanical connection therewith, of a movablq hopper located adjacent to a resting-point of said container and normally occupying its closed position, a second motor for operating said hopper, and a switching device mechanically actuated when said container contains a certain volume of material forrgoverning said motors to return said hopper to its closed osition and for eflecting movement of said container.

14. In a conveyor system, the combination with a travelling container and a motor for actuating said container, of a tiltable hopper located near a station of said container and normally occupying its closed position, a motor for tilting said' hopper, a plurality of contact members permanently located at said station for co-operating with said container to partially complete the circuits of said motors, and means dependent upon the volume of material in said container for causing the tilting motor to return the ho a per to closed pos tion and for causing t e with said container to govern the circuits of said means, and means carried by said container and actuated upon the container receiving a predetermined volume of materials for interrupting a circuit of the hopper-actuating means and establishing a circuit of the container-actuating means.

16. In a conveyor system, the combination with a travelling container, of a tiltabl'e hopper adapted in its operated position to supply materials to said container, a pulling motor for said container, a counterweighted torque motor for said hopper, a plurality of stations. contact members for co-operatin with sai container to govern the circuits 0 said motors, and a switching device carried by said container and responsive to the volume of material therein for interrupting the circuit of said counterweighted motor to restore the hopper to closed position and for completingthe circuit of the container motor-to effect removal of the loaded container. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23rd day of Dek cember, 1919.

WILLIAM E. HARRISON.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereb certified that in Letters Patent'No. 1,416,021, granted May 16, 1922, upon the application of William E. Harrison, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for on improvement in Telpherage Systems, errors appear in the printed spe'cification requiring correction as follows: Page 2,- lines 10"! and 108, claim 2, strike out the words said carrier and for arresting the supply, the operation of; some page and claim, line 110, before the insert the words of material to said Mar; and that the skid Letters Patent should .be read with these corrections therein that the some may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

, Signed and sealed this 8th day of August, A. 1)., 1922.-

' m KARL FENNING,

Acting O'omminioner of Patents. 

